IT Band Got You Down?

Iliotibial Mother-Effin' Band Syndrome.

As a runner, you're prone to stuff happening to your body. Most specifically - your legs. When you have IT band pain, it occurs on the outside of your leg just above your knee. I describe the sensation as a cross between burning and someone jamming an ice pick into your leg. Sometimes it happens after I've run for a half mile, other times it likes to wait until I'm having a pretty good time and strikes me somewhere after I've hit the 2 mile marker. And when it's bad, it's bad. For example - I fought through a run with it yesterday after work and I practically needed to scoot down the stairs on my butt this morning because it's still lingering. It is quite literally one of the things I despise most in life.

But the truth is I've been experiencing on-and-off IT band pain for about a year now. When it first started I remember curling up in a ball and wanting to cry because I convinced myself I'd never run comfortably again. As some of you may know, for me - NOT running is quite literally not an option. This meant I had to find ways around it. While it still plagues me every now and again (usually after I've "slacked off" a little), I feel like the strategies I used to overcome it were:

1. relatively easy & didn't require a ton of additional time and effort. And,
2. effective within just a week or so. When it creeps back on, I kick them back into high gear.

Obviously, I am no doctor. I got most of these suggestions from websites and/or friends and chose to stick with the ones I found the most helpful. Hopefully they're helpful for you, too.

Go Get Fitted For Shoes
When I first started getting my IT band pain, I was running in Zigtech shoes. Completely aware that they are 100% a fad shoe. Anyways - I had never been fitted for running shoes & now I absolutely positively swear by it. In fact, I INSIST to people who talk to me about getting serious about running go and have themselves fitted. If you are running in the wrong shoes, it can amplify and worsen injuries - period. Find a running store in your area & let one of them find a shoe for you. They'll make you walk on a treadmill or run around in the parking lot and analyze your gait and stride. Then you'll get to do a little trial and error thing until you find a shoe you like. For me, I feel like getting into the right shoes was the first step in making things better.

Get A Foam Roller
When I went to the running store to get fitted, I talked to the guy about my IT band pain. He got this look of excitement in his eyes (a little concerning) and went to fetch what looked like a piece of a thick, pink pool noodle. He then put it down on the ground and instructed me to lay on the ground on my left side (left knee was the one that hurt). He told me to prop myself up on my elbow, and he lifted my left leg up to slide the roller underneath. 

If you think it sounds awkward, imagine how I felt doing it in front of a crowded store of runners.

He then told me to place the roller right on the site of pain and put ALL of my weight onto that spot. This meant I was essentially in a sideways plank position putting all 113 of my pounds onto my IT band. It hurt so freaking bad I cannot even explain to you. He then told me to roll my body horizontally across (going almost into a push up position) to massage the area on my outer leg around to right above my knee. While it thoroughly thoroughly sucks to do and hurts more than most things I can describe with words - doing it after a run makes a tremendous difference. You just have to mentally prepare yourself for it.

The Only Stretch That Worked For Me
When you Google "Iliotibial Band Stretches" you get a bunch of different things. I tried them all probably 600-700 times each (could be a slight exaggeration). Either way, only one of them (I found) provided me with almost instant relief. When I get my IT band pain and it sticks around after my run, it's almost unbearable to sit for a long period of time and then stand up. Therefore, I use this stretch not only before and after my run, but to do kind of "spot treatments" when the pain gets bad during my daily life.

Basically all you need is a wall. The leg that crosses behind (in the case of the illustration, it's his right leg) should be the one that's hurting you. Put your arm onto the wall for support and lean the hip of your affected leg into the wall while leaning away from the wall with your shoulders. You should feel a pull & stretch going from your hip down your knee where the pain is.

Strengthen Your Quads & Glutes

A lot of people don't realize that IT pain can stem from muscle imbalance, as well. I see a ton of runners who just run and think that's all they need to do. If you're going to be a serious runner, especially a distance runner, you cannot neglect the rest of your body. Strength training is so important and it's one way to ensure you keep your injuries minimal.

Your IT band itself is not a muscle. However, it's functionality can depend on the muscles around it. When your quads/glutes are not strong, they'll pull on your pelvis as you run. When your pelvis gets shifted against your will, it puts stress on your IT band. Are you putting the puzzle pieces together? The stronger the muscles are that surround your IT band, the less likely you are to overcompensate and feel pain.

I recommend throwing leg presses, squats, and quad extensions into your regular workout routine. I also use an elliptical for about 15-20 minutes after my regular run twice a week now.

Use A Pro-Tec Band

I started running regularly with a Pro-Tec Iliotibial Band Wrap in about April of last year. I didn't feel confident enough to run without it until July, and I think by that point I had done enough strengthening and stretching that I had kind of worked through it. I was also running consistently 5 times a week, so it didn't have time to tighten up and get worse on me.

Either way, a Pro-Tec band can be great if you're still working on strengthening your quads and stretching out this area but you don't want to stop running. It's a special velcro band that is made to fit just above your knee and has a compression pad sewn into it to so you can target compression right on the area that hurts.

Just make sure that when you're putting it on, you're applying pressure without cutting off your circulation. As you can imagine, this can be somewhat of an uncomfortable place to have a wrap. It takes some getting used to, but it's amazing how much it alleviates the pain as you run. However, don't forget that even though it doesn't hurt while you're running - you still need to work on stretching out and strengthening to completely alleviate the problem so you don't need the band every time you run.

You can see it on my leg in this picture from 6k on the Busway back in May 2012

The most important thing to remember is never to let IT band pain take away your motivation or spirit. It's incredibly easy to stop running and return to life as usual. You'll probably get to watch a lot more Boy Meets World reruns that way. But don't do that. Take dedicated and thoughtful steps towards becoming a stronger runner and life will reward you in so, so many ways. Work through it, overcome it, and don't look back.

Keep Running,

Kelli

Battling The Winter Blues With One More Mile Running

I have three items that I swear by when it comes to running in cold weather. The first is quite obviously Under Armour. For the longest time I didn't feel as though buying an "expensive turtleneck" was worth it, but after just one use I completely understood why UA is so essential in a runner's wardrobe. If you've been out there hacking it with less expensive imitation products, just invest in ONE piece of cold weather UA gear. It is WELL worth it.

The second is the yellow headband you can see above. My mom actually purchased this for me at a race that ended up being much colder than anticipated this fall. Before having an actual SPORT headband, I was rocking one of those polar-fleece numbers that you get for $3 from Wal-Mart that come with matching gloves. While it did the trick, having a band meant for runners simplified a lot of things. It fits tighter, doesn't give me static-y hair, and it doesn't slip around.

But what I'm here to talk about today are the arm warmers pictured below. They're from One More Mile Running & they were the solution to quite a few of my cold weather-induced running problems.

You can wear them either over your long sleeves for an extra, removable layer or you can use them with a short sleeved shirt like I did below:

$18.99 from OneMoreMileRunning.com

Different phrases are available, but I think mine are pretty sweet

(they say "running is a mental sport and we are all insane")

Here's the thing about running outside in the winter. I love it, I really do - but the first half mile or so absolutely positively blows most of the time. I usually run in the morning, so it's freaking freezing outside in Pittsburgh. Because of this, I always overcompensate with my clothing. Great example - the Zoozilla 5k back in November. Absolutely freezing at the beginning - hated my life about 10 minutes into the race for being a sissy and putting on my t-shirt overtop of my hoodie.

Arm warmers solve this problem because, if you haven't figured out, you can roll them down mid-race. They're not lined with fleece or anything like that, but they do provide that extra layer that protects from the elements. Not gonna lie, I've taken them off and shoved them into my sports bra mid-run a couple of times. Whether you just roll them down to your wrists or you pull a makeshift bra stuff at the mile and a half mark, they're surprisingly lightweight so you won't be left lugging around a big hunk of fabric for the rest of your run.

If you've been struggling with the "I'm cold but I know I'm going to be hot soon but the idea of shedding a layer and standing for 15 minutes at the starting line freezing my ass off doesn't sound appealing" crisis, I'd absolutely recommend these. It's enough coverage and warmth to get you through the chill, and you also won't have to bathe in sweaty hoodie sleeves your entire run. I'd call that a win/win.

Thanks to One More Mile Running for hooking it up. Your witty slogans are 100% my style.

Keep Running,

Kelli

Guest Post: Don't Drink The Kool-Aide

First of all, I'd like to introduce you all to my friend Dave. I've known Dave since high school & we have recently kind of reconnected thanks to our shared interest in running. Dave will be making an appearance on the blog every now & again and I am thrilled to have him on board!

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As fellow running enthusiasts, I ask you to humor me for a quick instant.  How many times has a fellow runner insistently told you: “This has changed my life; I know this will help your running.”  It doesn’t matter what it is, each runner has their opinion on how a certain item affects their running performance. 

Personally, I prefer Saucony shoes, GU Energy Gels, Timex Watches, Running Etc Store, and the Chi Running Technique.  Side note: I have no affiliation with these companies; however, if they ever seek to affiliate with me, I would not complain!  I could go on and on and on and on and on about how Saucony makes the cushiest shoes on the road. Also, how GU could beat up Powerbar in a fight; this argument is futile!!!  The reason is simple: we like things because they work for us, not because they work for others.  We run in shoes because they are right for us, not because Don Draper and his cronies want us to… right? But is it always like that?

Most of you older than me (which isn’t much of stretch) will remember a guy named Jim Jones.  He was an influential cult leader in the 70’s and led 914 of his followers in a mass suicide by feeding them cyanide spiked “Flavor-aide.”  Although the brand is not the same, this gave birth to the colloquial aphorism, “Drinking the Kool-Aide.”  Side note: I also have no brand affiliation with either Flavor-aide or Kool-Aide and do not seek anything of the sort. 

Partaking in this metaphorical “Kool-Aide” pertains to succumbing to the endless fads that are pumped through running advertisements.  These “breakthroughs” in running tempt all of us who are searching for the holiest of holies: pain-free, effortless, blissful miles.   Now I can navigate a running magazine without salivating (most of the time anyway) over a product.  However, the greatest advertisement can never be put on a screen or paper, because frankly, we are the advertisements.

We all know the “minimalists”, “brand slaves”, “compression sockers”,” foam rollers”, “barefooters”, and other faddish personalities that always seek to drag us into their object obsessions.  I know one: me!  I do it all the time.  Ask anyone who brings up running around me, I will tell you how my stuff is the best, and everything else is substandard.  Am I right?  I think so, but in being objective, I know this is relative.  If you ask my running friends, they will tell you something different.  This is frustrating, isn’t it?  In my humble opinion, there should only be one thing that works for all of us.  It would be so much easier.  Although the trial and error can be fun (especially with new toys from amazon or LRS), after a while, we just want to run far, fast, and without injury.   Below is such a story where I was with Jim Jones, in Guyana, and drank that deadly Kool-Aide; because I was looking for a quick, all-encompassing fix.  Boy was I wrong.

Mid story foreword: This is my experience.  Not yours.  Do not whine because I didn’t like these shoes.  Runners are vicious about this stuff, am I right?

I was reading through my favorite magazine (ugh, I guess this has to be one of those “do as I say” situations) Runner’s World when I saw a large, cool, bright, and awesome shoe.  This shoe was an “alternative” type of running shoe that has lugs on the bottom that promote natural running (we all know who I am talking about now).  Underneath this printed shoe was an invitation for a 45 day trial; no gimmicks, no tricks, 45 days to try out a brand new shoe with  no strings attached.  Side note: Because of low arches, I am stuck in Stability shoes that are admittedly less cool than lighter, faster, more colorful neutral shoes.  The agony!  These “alternative shoes” have been hailed by everyone who runs in them as “completely life changing”.  Who was I to say anything different?  It took me a couple weeks (admittedly a couple beers as well) in order to finally make the decision to spend the outlandish amount of money on these god-like shoes.   They arrived, I ran once, I liked them!  Finally, I felt like I belonged!  These runners looked upon their shoes as if they were the best kept, openly known secret.  I was so happy that I could be a part of their movement.  I finally felt part of the “club”.

But like all things that were not meant to be, I went on a second run, and hated them: period.  Let’s just say, they were not for me.  A long story short, I returned them, and learned a valuable lesson: don’t drink the Kool-Aide.   I succumbed to the feeling that I have always warned myself about, what the “man” wants me to have.   Although I break this rule all the time, I try to remain vigilant of the spin doctor’s influence.  Side note:  This running company is a great influence in our sport, it is a shame their shoes are not for me; they were helpful and kind when I gave their shoes the “boot.”

In conclusion: do I take advice on gear from people?   Yes.  Will I continue to give my opinion on items?  Absolutely yes.  None of these things are wrong.  Every runner will give everyone and anyone running advice (even those who shouldn’t give it in the first place (in my opinion.))  The point I want to drive home is that the color, mystique, lifestyle, hipness, or brand of a product does not mean it will work for you.  In my experience, it almost never does.  It has taken me a long-ass time to find out what works for me.  I recommend you do the same.  To state it simply, when looking at something, don’t forget to add yourself into the equation.  It is kind of the point!  In doing so, you drink the Kool-Aide because you want a tasty, sugar-based drink; not because Jim Jones says so.  Oh and by the way, my opinion is right, no matter what anyone else says! Runners are stubborn, aren’t we?

Keep Running,

Dave & Kelli

Finding Solitude In Soreness

I think any runner (or athlete or remotely active person) will testify to the fact that after you've taken even a few days off from your normal routine, you will wake up the morning after your first day back and get out of bed at the pace of a dead turtle. You will hobble to your feet wincing and whispering "ow, ow, ow" to yourself while awkwardly swinging your noodle-like arms to maintain your balance. You'll slowly raise your arms to your head to put the shampoo in your hair as your eyes widen with pain, and you'll hoist your knees up to your chest while brushing your teeth trying to temporarily relieve the soreness in your quads.

I can paint this scenario so clearly because it's happened to me just about every day this week. Not only did I start training again, (and much harder than I've ever trained before, might I add) the dance studio I teach at returned from holiday break on Wednesday. My body went from Christmas cookies and pajama pants to weights and compression gear faster than it knew how to handle.

But I must say, if I didn't wake up every morning this week hobbling around and straining to reach for my toothbrush - I'd have been quite disappointed in myself. My goal was to bust into 2013 stronger and more motivated than ever, and my sore muscles nearly five days in a row are a testament that I'm on the right track. So to anyone who has spent these first few weeks of January 2013 feeling the effects of their harder, better, faster, stronger training - here's to us. There's nothing better than dedicating yourself to yourself because really - what could be more important than that?

Live healthy, train hard and as always -

Keep Running,
Kelli

Running Vs. Anxiety - My Story

I've had this post drafted for awhile now. I had gone back and forth about whether or not I wanted to post it, and after some editing and tweaking - I decided to do it. It will probably reveal some things about me that even close friends weren't aware of before, but if I'd have found a blog post like this three years ago, I'd have probably cried in relief.

Anxiety is something that so many people in their early twenties deal with. It wasn't until I confided in some friends that I learned they, too, struggled with this horrible thing. But nobody wants to talk about it. Nobody wants to ADMIT they feel like a crazy person and think thoughts that no rational person should have. My anxiety mainly focused on health issues, which I learned isn't uncommon at all. It was at it's highest point from around February 2010 through to about December 2010. It would certainly have its ups and downs, but I can remember specific periods during that time frame where it was at its worst. If you were close with me during that time, you probably wouldn't know that I was sleeping, on average, 3 hours a night and spending a majority of my time analyzing every function my body could perform. From my eyesight to my hearing to headaches to muscle twitches - I had diagnosed myself with several diseases and disorders including multiple sclerosis, brain cancer, a wide range of eye disorders, Lou Gherigs disease, and lymphoma.

Just thinking back on it makes me want to cry. I spent so many otherwise happy times of life sitting there in a haze of fear and panic as I created symptoms I didn't have. I think the one thing people need to really understand is that while anxiety ISN'T real, it's very real at the same time. The symptoms I had were there. It doesn't scare me to know my muscles were twitching or that my headaches were constant, it scares me to know that your body and mind are capable of working together like that to zero in on what you're currently worrying about and explode it into reality. When you're in that haze, you don't look at it that way, but looking back - it's very apparent that my symptoms were due to nothing but my own constant fear, worry, and stress.

I'd be sitting there, perfectly happy, and then all of a sudden my brain would say: "Hey wait a minute, why enjoy this when you're going to die from (insert whatever disease or disorder I was currently obsessed with)?" It's heartbreaking.

I didn't want medication, and luckily I had a fantastic doctor who humored me visit after visit and assured me nothing was wrong. He never offered me medication and he never allowed me to pay out the ass for tests and scans that he knew were not necessary in my scenario. I am very, very thankful for that.

That January (2011) was when I decided I was going to start running. I don't know what exactly drew me to it, but I figured it was a good way to ease into an active lifestyle. I was desperate for a solution at that point. I had started taking literally 10 vitamins of different varieties every morning and I was doing these weird relaxation/meditation things at night. Nothing was really paying off even though I so badly just wanted something to work. I'd convince myself for awhile that whatever trend I was currently trying was "it", but then one bad day would send me spiraling back into that hopeless feeling that I'd have to spend the rest of my life feeling this way.

Running is the only sport where you can directly compete against yourself. I had been a dancer for many years, but you can't let your mind go when you dance like you can when you run. You have to worry about form and technique and staying with the music. Running is the only thing, I've found, that let's you tell your mind to eff off. I hated my mind more than anything, and it was a strange feeling. I wanted to beat the living shit out of the voice in my head. That same voice in my head is the one that would chime in mid-run and tell me I was feeling tired or I needed to stop or that my legs hurt. Not stopping was the best way to prove to that voice that I was so much stronger than it gave me credit for. Not stopping was the equivalent of beating the shit out of the voice.

Aside from that, it's a known fact that running releases happy endorphins in your body. Do it enough and they start to build up. When you pair those endorphins with the fact that you just told the person (figuratively)  that you hate the most in life to go screw themself? All of a sudden it's not your anxiety that takes precedence anymore.

It took about 3 weeks, but once I started running consistently (2 miles about 5x per week at first) - the voice was gone, WebMD was no longer on my "most visited sites" page, and I didn't bat an eyelash when a random ache popped up. But the strange thing is, I didn't even view it as progress. I didn't even think of my anxiety or where I had been. I was just living, normally, for the first time in a long time. There was no question about whether I'd slip into a panic that day or if a thought would cross my mind that would send my heart racing and prevent me from sleeping that night. Those parts of me just didn't exist anymore.

Running made me a stronger person both physically and mentally, and that is the reason I have such a love affair with it. That's the reason that, yes, I do get a little defensive when people look down on runners or bad mouth the sport they love so much. I look at life differently now. You have no idea what a person is going through, just like I'm sure some of the people I love had no idea what I was going through. I urge you all to think of that the next time you feel inclined to be rude or disrespectful to someone regardless of the reason.

This sport made me analyze the way I was living my life. It taught me to be strong and that I don't need to deal with factors or people that bring me down. Surrounding yourself with strong, encouraging people is one way to ensure you never slip, and it's the most motivating thing I've done for myself. They say that you can't really appreciate the good until you've been through the bad, and that's why I look at that dark period of my life as a blessing. What I have now is good - so good - and I wouldn't be the person that I love so much today had I not had the opportunity to overcome the obstacles that made me weak. You can't stumble over something that is behind you, and I never intend on looking back.

Keep Running,
Kelli

Pro Compression Running Socks Review & Giveaway

As you may have read in my previous post, I got new running shoes for Christmas. While I really do like the shoes, new shoes typically come along with new aches and some soreness at first. Cloudrunners have a very unique, springy bottom to them and I am not used to them AT ALL. My Asics are completely different and after my first few runs, my calves were very, very sore from adjusting to my new stride.

Luckily for me, Pro Compression came through in the clutch and my new pair of marathon white compression socks arrived in the mail the other day.

$50.00 through the PRO Compression website

(available in a few different colors, but mine are white and gray with lime green accents)

I had never used compression socks before. I will say that while I didn't necessarily notice a difference DURING my run with these, I absolutely did afterwards. Not only do your legs feel heavenly after peeling off skin tight knee socks, but I was not nearly as sore. I could feel the muscles in my calves working harder during my run trying to adjust to my new shoes, so I was almost certain I would be in for quite an unpleasant experience afterwards. I'm happy to report I was not hobbling around and my legs actually feel great this morning.

Another nice thing about PRO Compression is that they do not use a thick material at all. This is not your typical sock material with the little nubs on the inside for cushioning and support. They're incredibly lightweight and they breathe nicely, too. I didn't have problems with excess moisture and they're surprisingly comfortable for being a compression product.

I'm a pretty tough critic when it comes to product reviews. When a company sends me something and I don't like it, I don't post anything about it at all. I take the "if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all" approach. PRO Compression is a higher priced sock, yes, but this post wouldn't be here if I wasn't impressed by them. If you are a runner that experiences soreness & inflammation in your feet, ankles, or calves after you run - a GOOD compression sock could really make a huge difference for you. I had never tried them before (or any compression sock for that matter), and I was shocked at the difference they made after just one use. 

Thank you to PRO Compression for opening my eyes to their products & I hope you'll check them out, too. They have a pretty big selection to choose from, and you can visit their website by clicking here. If you'd like a little bit on insider info - use the promo code SOM113 at checkout to save 40% on all black socks & sleeves!

But the real reason you're here is to win a pair of your own, right?
PRO Compression was nice enough to let me host a giveaway - so just post your email address in the comments below to be entered to win! I'll notify them of the winner on January 14th.

Keep Running,

Kelli

Getting Back In The Saddle

I made it a point this year to take the holidays off from running. It was kind of a hard decision for me since I was training so hard for my half marathon up until mid-November, but I felt like I needed a little break. For me, running is more than just a hobby. When I'm in the middle of training, it's literally my life. I figured I could use a little bit of extra time to actually enjoy things rather than worrying about squeezing in a 5k between dinner at this relative's house and exchanging gifts at this friend's place. Not to mention that when I have a lot of stuff on my plate, I literally become the most touchy, anxious person ever. It's no way to spend the holidays.

I hope that you guys all had the time to enjoy the season, too.

BUT with that being said, I am really quite ready to hop back into the saddle.Taking time off from running when you're a serious runner can be nice for awhile, but I really started getting restless last week. I also got a crapload of sweet new running gear for Christmas, including a pair of ON cloudsurfer running shoes that I am really, really excited to break in.

So I'm going to click over to Active.com & see what I can line up for myself in the next few months. I have a 5k at the end of this month & the Pittsburgh half in May, along with the Warrior Dash already in the line up. Congrats to everyone who has made it a point this year to start a new and active lifestyle. Stick with it and you'll be amazed at how rewarding being a runner can be!

Keep Running,

Kelli